The Denver Nuggets have dismissed head coach Michael Malone in a stunning move just days ahead of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The decision was first reported by NBA insider Shams Charania, who also noted that general manager Calvin Booth was let go in a full organizational reset.
Malone, who was hired in 2015, exits as the winningest coach in franchise history and the leader behind Denver’s 2023 NBA championship run.
This marks only the second time in league history that a head coach has been fired this late in the season, matching the 1980–81 dismissal of Hubie Brown.
Lead assistant David Adelman will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season, according to ESPN.
Denver currently holds the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a 47–32 record but has dropped seven of its last ten games.
The abrupt move follows Memphis firing Taylor Jenkins earlier this week, signaling a turbulent final stretch for multiple playoff-bound teams.
Under Malone’s tenure, the Nuggets transformed from a lottery team to a perennial postseason contender.
He coached Denver through two Western Conference Finals appearances and played a major role in the development of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
No permanent replacements for either position have been named, though the Nuggets plan to evaluate their options after the season.
Malone’s firing also comes less than two years after signing a contract extension intended to keep him in Denver through 2027.
Despite strong individual play from Jokic and Jamal Murray, the team’s defensive inconsistencies and late-game struggles have plagued them in recent weeks.
Denver has three games remaining before the postseason begins and is now tasked with recalibrating under interim leadership.
Adelman, who has been on the Nuggets’ bench since 2017, is known for his familiarity with Malone’s system and has earned praise for his player development work.
This development adds further instability to an already unpredictable Western Conference playoff picture.
Denver sits just 1.5 games ahead of the fifth-seeded Clippers, with potential movement in seeding still in play before the regular season concludes.
